Next Post
Jammy Raspberry Cream Pretzel Hand Pies.
This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
Sicilian style Easy Sheet Pan Tomato Herb Pizza. Fresh pizza dough topped with roasted cherry tomato sauce, three kinds of cheese, pepperoni, house style “pizza seasoning” and so much fresh garden basil. The key to this pizza is baking it on a sheet pan at a high temp until the crust becomes just a little crisp and the cheese is melty. As soon as the pizza comes out of the oven, top it with fresh basil, slice, eat, and ENJOY. Trust me, every last bite of this pizza is delicious and will leave you wanting more. It’s savory, a touch spicy, and the perfect mix of summer flavors that everyone will LOVE.
We all know how much I love a good pizza, I have many many here on the blog. So I don’t say this lightly when I say…I’m pretty sure this is the best pizza I’ve ever made. Most of my favorites include an herb/pesto base, and more times than not burrata as well. This pizza is nothing like any of my other favorites. This pizza is more of a classic, but with a twist. Kind of like something you might order from your favorite pizzeria or maybe even something like you might find in Sicily, Italy.
And. Oh. My. Gosh. It. Is. GOOD.
First things first, I’m putting it out there that I’m well aware this is not the tried and true traditional way to make this pizza. I did a ton of reading before writing this post to find out more about Sicilian Style pizza…how it originated, and what the classic way to make it is. But what I found was that it’s actually made in many different ways. The classic style pizzas that I came across were mostly thicker crust rectangle pizzas. They have a simple tomato base, lots of cheese, and pepperoni on top.
My version is similar, but then it’s kind of not. But SO GOOD. I can’t stress the SO GOOD enough. I love this pizza!
Start with the dough.
Start with the dough. I like to use my homemade pizza dough recipe from the HBH Super Simple cookbook. It’s the easiest to make and truly delicious. If you can think a few hours ahead of time, I’d recommend making your own dough. If not, store-bought pizza dough works great too (Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s both have great options)!
For those of you who prefer a thicker crust pizza, I recommend using closer to three-quarters or even one pound of pizza dough. We like our crust thinner, so I only use a half-pound of dough.
Once you have your dough figured out, it’s time to make pizza.
The two key steps.
Now, these next two steps are KEY and what I’ve found to be the most common throughout everything I read. You need to cook this pizza at a high heat temp and on a sheet pan. So start preheating your oven to five hundred degrees as soon as you decide you’re making pizza. Ideally one to two hours ahead of time to get it really HOT.
If you’re in a pinch, thirty minutes works too.
During this same time, place your ball of pizza dough on an oiled quarter sheet pan (or sheet pan of similar size). Now let it rest, the longer you can let the dough sit on the pan, the better. Thirty minutes will do the trick, but if you have the time, shoot for anywhere from two to five hours. This allows the dough time to get puffy and create wonderful air pockets.
Now make the sauce.
Instead of using store-bought sauce, I wanted to use all my fresh summer cherry tomatoes. So I just did a quick pan roasted burst cherry tomato sauce with garlic and thyme. I roasted the tomatoes in the oven at five hundred…since I already had it on. Works beautifully and creates a delicious caramelized tomato sauce.
Simply smash the tomatoes down with a fork and you’ll have a very rustic fresh tomato sauce.
And finally, the “house herb garlic pizza seasoning”.
This seasoning mix? It was actually the inspiration behind this entire pizza. I had the concept for the fresh herb and garlic seasoning mix before I decided I wanted to make a Sicilian style pizza. Fresh basil, fresh oregano, garlic, fennel, and so much crushed red pepper…how could I go wrong!
I knew the pizza needed to be somewhat simple and cheesy, enter the idea for Sicilian pizza. Once I had this in my head I was sold…pizza was being made.
And you guys? It really is the seasoning mix that MAKES this pizza. It’s fresh, herby, garlicky, and spicy. All of my favorite things.
Assemble and bake.
Push the dough out onto the baking sheet, add the sauce, the cheeses, the pepperoni (only if you enjoy them, which we do), and that herb seasoning mix. Bake in the upper position of the oven (also key), and in less than fifteen minutes you’ll have amazing pizza.
And your kitchen will smell incredible. It might be crazy hot, but I promise, this pizza is worth it!
Most importantly, you’ll have a delicious pizza to enjoy for dinner…maybe outside on the porch if your kitchen is sweltering hot from the oven. Sorry, but again, this pizza is worth it.
As soon as the pizza comes out of the oven. Slice it, top with basil, and eat. This one is meant to be eaten hot…preferably on a summer night with your favorite drink in hand. I’m picturing an ice-cold beer.
Easy Sheet Pan Tomato Herb Pizza…classic…with some additions. So very cheesy, herby, and just delicious. Roll your eyes back good!
Looking for other summer pizzas? Here are a few of my go-to’s.
Garlic and Herb Roasted Cherry Tomato Pizza with Caramelized Onions
Peach Burrata Pizza with Honey Balsamic
Lastly, if you make this Easy Sheet Pan Tomato Herb Pizza., be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Watch The How To Video:
Easy sheet pan Tomato Herb Pizza
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 429 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound pizza dough, homemade or store-bought
- 3 cups cherry tomatoes (or one 14 ounce can crushed tomatoes)
- 4 cloves garlic, 2 whole smashed, 2 grated
- 2 teaspoons fig preserves or use honey
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (or 2 teaspoons dried)
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 pinch kosher salt and black pepper
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped, plus more for serving (or 1 tablespoon dried)
- 1/4 cup fresh oregano, chopped (or 1 tablespoon dried)
- 1-2 teaspoons fennel seeds use to your taste
- 1 cup shredded whole milk mozzarella
- 1 cup shredded fontina cheese
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan or asiago cheese
- 3 ounces pepperoni, sliced
Instructions
- 1. Position the oven rack in the upper 1/3 position. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. at least 30 minutes before baking, preferably 1-2 hours ahead. If you have a baking stone, start preheating it. 2. Place the ball of pizza dough on a lightly oiled quarter sheet pan. Lightly drizzle olive oil on top of the dough ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for at least 30 minutes, preferably 2-5 hours, if time allows.3. To make the sauce. In a roasting pan, combine the tomatoes, olive oil, 2 cloves smashed garlic, fig preserves, thyme, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Roast in the middle of the oven at 500 degrees F. for 10-15 minutes, until the tomatoes burst. Using a fork, smash the tomatoes down until a chunky sauce forms. Is using canned tomatoes, just simmer on the stove until thickened. Alternately, you can use your favorite marinara sauce too.4. To make the herb seasoning. In a bowl, combine the basil, oregano, 1-2 cloves grated garlic, fennel, and a pinch each of red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. 5. To assemble. Remove the plastic wrap. Gently press the dough until it covers the entire sheet pan. Drizzle the dough lightly with olive oil. Spread on the sauce, you may not need it all. Top with cheese, then pepperoni. Sprinkle the herb seasoning over top. 6. Slide into the preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes, rotate the pizza, and bake another 3-5 minutes or until the crust is golden and the cheese has melted. Top the pizza with fresh basil and addition crushed red pepper flakes. ENJOY!
Notes
Quarter Sheet Pan: this is the exact USA Quarter Sheet Pan I use. You can use any sheet pan you have that's of similar size, it does not need to be exact.
We have made this a couple of times and LOVE it!! I love the chunky sauce and the herbs give it such a nice flavor!
Hey Lindsey,
Happy Sunday!! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try and your comment, so glad to hear it was enjoyed! xT
I appreciate you posting this delicious recipe.
Hands down, the best pizza I have ever eaten. I don’t have to worry about finding the ingredients since I always have them on hand. Once I’ve tried it, I can’t stop.
Best regards, an educator from https://assignmentpay.com/ service.
Hey Susan,
Happy Monday!! So glad to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks for giving it a go! xT
I made this about a month ago… It is definitely a keeper. One of the best pizzas I ever made. I even made it gluten free!! Will use this recipe again and again!!
Thanks for sharing these amazing recipes. 🙂
Vickie
Thanks so much for your kind message Vickie and giving so many recipes a try, I love to hear that this was enjoyed! xxT
Hi Tieghan,
It’s hard to find Fontina cheese in my town, can I just replace it with plain edam/gouda?
Hey Aurelia,
Totally, any cheeses that you like will work here! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xT
I’m wondering if I could cook this on my barbarque on a stone from Pamper Chef. Has anyone try this.
Hi Denise,
Sorry, I’ve not tried this, but sounds like a fun idea! Let me know how the recipe turns out! xx
Favorite! Making this tonight…always a hit in our household. <3
Hey there,
Happy Monday!! I am thrilled to hear this recipe was a hit, thanks for trying it out and sharing your review:)
Would you be willing to add a recipe for pizza dough when you post a pizza recipe that calls for dough?
Hi Donna,
I have a few recipes for pizza dough on the blog, but my favorite recipe is in the HBH Super Simple cookbook:)
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/balsamic-mushroom-fontina-pizza/
Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Does half baked harvest have good gluten free and vegetarian dishes?
Hi Michelle!
Sure do!! You can search for recipes by diet specific on the site:) xx
Hi Tieghan! Greetings from New Mexico.
Made this last night and it was Sooooo delicious! Followed your recipe perfectly. It is the best pepperoni pizza I have ever made. My husband thinks my dinners are better than most restaurants, all because of your wonderful recipes. Ha! Cheers to all of us!
Oops, sorry, I meant to post my review under the Detroit Style Tomato Herb Pizza, not this one! Lol!
LOL no worries:)
Hey Shannon,
Thanks so much for your comment and sharing your feedback! I am glad that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for trying it out! xTieghan
I am making this pizza tonight. When you rest the dough on the baking pan, do you leave it in a ball or spread it out? Thank you.
Never mind I figured it out! Hubby loves it!
Awesome!!
Hi Judy,
You are going to leave it in a ball. Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
This sauce is amazing!!
Hi Nancy,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a go and sharing your feedback!! I love to hear that it was a winner:) xTieghan
Love this recipe. Fresh food is the best food! The sauce is delicious and the dough is so light and fresh. Our two year old loves it! I always love making him take out meals at home because I know exactly what ingredients were used to make the food. We make pizza at least once a month in our house and always use the HBH recipe because it’s so good. Ingredients are so easy to find at all local grocery stores. Walmart even sells these cheeses! Thanks so much for sharing your recipes we love your food!
Hey Ashley,
Happy Friday!! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad to hear it was a winner:) Thanks so much for your kind message. ?xx
Hi,
What is meant by rotate the pizza? Do you mean rotate the pan or the pizza itself?
Hey there,
Just rotate the pan that the pizza is on. I hope you love the recipe, let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Hi! I only have a half sheet pan. Ok to double the dough? Do you have a non-whole wheat dough recipe you can share? Thank you!
Hey Jenny,
Yes, that will work well for you! My traditional pizza dough recipe is in the HBH Super Simple cookbook. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This is the best fresh tomato sauce recipe ever!!
I have made it too many times.
Hey Jane,
Awesome!! I am thrilled that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! Have a great week:) xx
This was another delicious meal! I loved the addition of the fig jam, already a fam favorite, and the herb topping was another yummy surprise. I used your no knead dough from the first cookbook and was pleased with my first ever pizza crust. And the fragrance!!! Yeasty, herby goodness!!!
Hi Linda,
Awesome!! Thanks for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
The ingredients are not common nationwide and the cheese is a little bit expensive. Not really an easy recipe.
Sorry you feel this way Antanya. Happy Holidays! xT